Target Becomes First Major Retailer to Announce Permanent Thanksgiving Closure

By Paige Boyd, Managing Editor

It looks like Thanksgiving Day shoppers looking to take advantage of early Black Friday deals after dinner will have one less place to shop. Target has just announced that their stores will be closed on Thanksgiving for good.

According to CNN, the franchise previously closed for Thanksgiving last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they previously announced that they would be closed this year as well. Now, the Thanksgiving closures will be permanent. In an internal message to employees, Target CEO Brian Cornell announced, "What started as a temporary measure driven by the pandemic is now our new standard - one that recognizes our ability to deliver on our guests’ holiday wishes both within and well beyond store hours." The decision was made after Cornell visited stores in New York and New Jersey, with employees telling him that they appreciated the day off to stay home with their families on Thanksgiving.

The statement continues: "You don’t have to wonder whether this is the last Thanksgiving you’ll spend with family and friends for a while, because Thanksgiving store hours are one thing we won’t ‘get back to’ when the pandemic finally subsides."

Although several major retailers have announced that they will close this year, Target is the first to announce that they will close every Thanksgiving from here on out. This comes as part of a continuing debate between retailers and critics over whether or not stores should be open on the holiday for the early Black Friday shopping rush. In recent years, several states have placed a ban on "big-box" retailers opening on Thanksgiving.

Several other retailers, including Kroger and Dollar General, will be open this year. For an updated list, click here.